Assemblyman
Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) and NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio have called on Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton to do everything possible to protect Jacob Ostreicher,
a U.S. citizen recently freed on bail and placed under house arrest in Bolivia.
Ostreicher’s release from Palmasola Prison in Bolivia came after 19 months of
wrongful incarceration. In recent weeks, numerous Bolivian officials accused of
robbing and extorting Ostreicher have been arrested and detained in Bolivia,
including the judge who initially jailed Ostreicher.

“In light of recent developments, Jacob’s attorneys
in both Bolivia and at Patton-Boggs in Washington are confident that Jacob will
be released soon,” said the letter to Mrs. Clinton. “However, as Jacob
continues to reside in Bolivia under a partial house arrest, he may easily be
the target of reprisals. Indeed, Jacob is recognized by reporters in South
America as a repository of information than can damage the reputation of the
criminals who sought to extort and rob businessmen doing business in Bolivia.
As such, his family believes that Jacob’s life is in danger—even greater danger
than when he was behind prison walls.”

Ostreicher’s plight as an innocent U.S. citizen who
fell prey to a corrupt Bolivian justice system has caught the attention of not
only the international media but also Hollywood, with the auspicious
intervention of actor Sean Penn, who was able to convince Bolivian President
Evo Morales to investigate—and now incarcerate—his own ministers.

“We believe that Jacob needs your protection and
respectfully urge you to speak to this matter,” asks the plea to Mrs. Clinton. “Do
everything in your power to guarantee Jacob’s safety until he is free to come
home. Sheltered from physical harm, we expect Jacob Ostreicher’s full
exoneration to come very shortly. His return to American soil will be a moment
of triumph we will all joyously share.”